Green Eyes
by The.Dragon.Singer
Summary: Nikkou has lost all her memories, due to an accident with...get this, a boar. Between regaining her memories and Academy chaos, what the hell will she do? Re-write of Green Eyes in the Shadows
1. Chapter 1

Ever since she was small, Nikkou had viewed her brother in a spot light.

He was five years older than her, handsome and kind. He had a wicked temper, one which the girl been on the receiving end of many times.

But, Nikkou loved her brother Byakuya.

She watched him train, and learn, and when he was old enough, she watched him leave for the Shino Academy with tear-filled eyes.

She was over joyed when he came home for Christmas, but it was like he was a different person.

And now she was waiting for him again, servants lining the halls, her grandfather standing slightly ahead of her.

Nikkou glanced to the side, bored.

The grand double doors slid open, and the servants lowered into bows.

Nikkou turned her green eyes forward, half bowing to the teen in the doorway.

"Welcome home, Onii-sama." She murmured, staring at the silver snowflakes dusting across her deep blue kimono.

"Byakuya," Nikkou's grandfather motioned him away. "We must talk."

"Of course, Grandfather." Byakuya nodded, following the white-haired man down the hall.

Nikkou sighed, straightening and whirling around for the stairs to her wing.

"Better luck next time, Milady." One of the servants called in sympathy.

She nodded to the man before vanishing into her wing. She paused before her room, and took a calming breath.

_'Ladies do not run, nor do they slam doors.'_

Nikkou shut her door silently, and then ripped the kimono off her body.

She fumed as she redressed in a pair of black hakama and tight sleeved kosode.

Over her outfit she pulled on a yukata of pink and then rushed downstairs to her Grandfather's study.

Nikkou knocked twice before he answered.

"Grandfather, I'm going for a walk." She announced. "I will be back for supper."

"Thank you." He responded through the door. Nikkou sneered, running down the halls as fast as she could and out of the Kuchiki manor.

Her destination was the Second Division, and it didn't take long to get there. She slid through the gates, and ran toward the main building.

She slithered into the dojo, and bowed to the sole occupant.

"Soifon-sensei," She smiled. "Im sorry that I'm late."

"Why are you late!?" Soifon growled, scowling.

"Onii-san returned today." Nikkou supplied.

"Get going, Kuchiki." She nodded to the floor.

Nikkou nodded, running to warmup.

* * *

When all three members of the Kuchiki family were seated, Ginrei fixed his gaze on Byakuya.

"Grandson," He began. "Your cousins out near the Hanging Dog district are becoming troublesome in their mannerisms. I'm sending you there for an unknown amount of time."

"I shall drop out of the Shino Academy at once." Byakuya nodded.

"Can't I go instead?" Nikkou asked, green eyes gleaming. "I'd be just as much help as Onii-san!"

"You must remain here." Ginrei frowned. "You have important tasks at this household that you must attend to."

"Like what?" Nikkou snapped, dropping her chopsticks with a clatter. "All I do is sit all day, listening to old ladies drone about things that don't even interest me! Please let me go!"

"No. That is final." Ginrei boomed, silencing her protests.

Nikkou slammed her chair back, and stormed from the room.

"I hate you." She hissed before slamming the door shut loudly.

"Grandfather, you cannot keep her locked away here forever." Byakuya murmured. "She's too much like grandmother."

"That's exactly why I don't want her to leave." The Sixth Division captain sighed. "She's going to do something reckless."

"If you love something, let it go." Byakuya lifted himself from his seat and bowed before leaving.

* * *

Nikkou didn't look up at the knock on her door, she continued watching the ball of reitsu in her hands shrink and grow as she manipulated it.

"Nikkou-"

"Go away, Byakuya." She growled, tossing a glare over her shoulder. "It's not like you care."

He was silent, and then began again.

"I said," Nikkou spun on him, and hurled the large ball of red reitsu at him. It exploded where his head would have been, had Byakuya not ducked. "Go AWAY!"

He backed out and left Nikkou to her seething.

**-:-**

Nikkou watched from the top of the stairs as Byakuya left with several servants for their cousins in the Hanging Dog area.

"I shall see you when you return." Ginrei nodded as he strode back to his study.

"Bye, Onii-sama." Nikkou took two tentative steps down the stairs.

"Goodbye, Imouto." Byakuya smiled.

* * *

The next time Nikkou saw her brother was forty years later.

He had finished his years at the Academy before he returned to the manor.

Nikkou tucked her hands into her kimono sleeves as Ginrei's coffin was lowered into the ground.

Byakuya stood stiffly by her side.

Not a tear marked the siblings' faces, and others were crying.

The scroll in Byakuya's left hand had given him the spot of Head of the Kuchiki clan, Sixth Division Captain and a multitude of other fabulous things.

At the bottom of the page, in neat cursive was her part of the will.

A reasonable amount of money and a necklace.

At Byakuya's side was his new wife. Her name was Hisana, and Byakuya paid more attention to her then to Nikkou.

Nikkou didn't dislike Hisana, she didn't mind her. The woman wouldn't harm a fly and was nice enough to charm a pig.

**-:-**

Nikkou sat awkwardly at the table, tapping her fingernails against the wood.

Byakuya glanced up, dismissing the female.

Nikkou left the dining hall without a second thought.

She returned to her room and gazed at her reflection.

Over the last forty years, she had lost all her chubby baby fat. Her wide green eyes were framed by thick black lashes. They were set in an elven face, sharp cheeks, and lush lips. Long black hair cascaded in waves to her hips.

"Really, you're sixteen now." She scolded herself, sighing.

Nikkou turned to the bag waiting on her bed, hoisting it over her shoulders once she had changed into dark brown hakama and a tan kosode.

Nikkou glanced over her shoulder at her plush room before leaping from the window.


	2. Chapter 2

Suzaku sighed, dragging a hand across her forehead.

Her green eyes lifted to the scorching sun, sighing again as she moved the broom in her hands across her front step.

Her neighbor appeared, waving before disappearing into his house.

Once Suzaku had been called Nikkou Kuchiki, but she was no longer a noble and therefore she had needed a new alias.

Now, she was just another person in the Rukongai.

"Suzaku-san," The neighbor opposite her suddenly appeared in her doorway, children crowding around her legs. "It would be best if you returned indoors."

"What's going on?" Nikkou asked, glancing up and down the deserted street.

"There are Shinigami coming today. Nakayami-san's friend sent him a letter when they passed through his distict. Inside now, children." She shooed the infants in.

Nikkou waved, shutting her own door and tugging at the necklace sitting on her neck.

Nikkou couldn't remember anything but her name. When she had first woken up here, in the Hanging Dog, it was to wake up from an accident.

Nikkou had been hit by a man riding a large boar, which as odd as it sounded, wasn't that fun.

Occasionally, Nikkou would have a flash of fine silk, or a certain pattern would seem familiar. Never could she fully remember something though.

Nikkou sat at her small table, tracing the grain before taking out small book.

When the sun hit the highest point in the sky, a knock sounded on her door.

Fear flashed through Nikkou's eyes, and she twisted her hair up, wringing her hands as she opened the door.

"My name is Kaien Shiba." The male outside gave her a kind smile. "May I come in?"

Nikkou stepped aside so he could enter her home, watching the dark haired male carefully.

"What's-" Kaien began.

"What does a _Shinigami_ want with me?" Nikkou's eyes narrowed into glittering slivers.

"We've been keeping an eye of this District for a while now." Shiba smiled, lowering onto one of her chairs and gesturing to the empty one. Nikkou sat, cautiously. "There has been an uprising in Hollow activity, and that usually means that there's a person with a high amount of reitsu."

"What does that have to do with me?" Nikkou crossed her arms.

"Well," Kaien leaned forward, kindness still pouring from him like a faucet. "We've found two and I was passing through this village when I sensed another. That other one happened to be you."

"Great. You've just wasted my time." Nikkou threw up her hands. "Anything else? Or is that all?"

"No please!" The Shinigami motioned her to sit. "I'm far from finished."

"Do you take cream or sugar with your waste of time?" Nikkou asked, moving the kettle she had on the fire to her small kitchen.

"What?"

"Do you want _tea_, moron?" She huffed, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, please. With both." He nodded, a smile set across his face. Once they both had tea, Kaien Shiba continued.

"Most people with high reitsu go to the Shino Academy, where they learn how to control it. Almost all of them end up in the Gotei Thirteen, where they help serve the military forces."

"That's great and all," Nikkou frowned. "But what does that have to do with me?"

"That's where you'll go, if you want. It's free, so you don't have to spend anything." Kaien smiled, pushing a pamphlet forward. "And you don't have to join the Gotei if you don't want to. Returning here is an option as well."

"I suppose." Nikkou stared at the papers.

"I'm coming back in a week, to visit my older sister. I'll get your answer then. How does that sound?" Kaien stood, taking his tea cup to the sink and heading for the door.

"That's sounds alright." Nikkou nodded.

"What's your name?" Shiba paused by the door.

"Suzaku Yagami."

Kaien waved before shutting the door.

**-:-**

Nikkou stared at the papers on the table, tentatively picking one up and reading it.

Carefully, as though not to damage them, Nikkou lay them out side by side.

The first one was the registration form, the second one was for personal information, and the third was about the Academy itself.

She was roused from her thinking train by a knock on the door.

"Hiya, Suzaku!" Kaien grinned, moving the bag on his shoulder to a more comfortable spot.

"Come in, Shiba-fukutaicho." Nikkou moved out of the way to let him in.

"Thanks! Did you think about it?" He asked, a sudden breeze ruffling through his spiky black hair.

"I did." Nikkou took a deep breath. "I've decided to accept."

"Great!" He patted her on the shoulder. "I've just come from visiting my sister. I know this may sound a bit strange,"

Nikkou moved to gather her small bag and the papers on the table.

"But my younger brother and one of his gang members is going to give us a ride back to the Seireitei on their boars."

She stiffened.

"I'll walk."

"It's a two week journey without Shunpō." Kaien frowned, scratching his head. "We may look a little silly, but it will get us there in two days."

"Oh, I'm not worried about looking silly." She sneered, propping her hands on her hips. "But I know for a fact that not many people ride boars, in fact only four."

"Yeah..." Shiba looked confused, grabbing her lifted arm, which was pointing out the door. "They're harmless, I promise."

She grabbed the doorframe with her free hand.

"Harmless, my ass!" Nikkou yelled, attracting more attention from her neighbors, who had gathered on their doorsteps at the arrival of the boars.

"Yagami-chan!" One of the older men rushed forward, freeing her from Kaien, and shielding her. "Don't go near those beasts. You could get injured again!"

Nikkou's eyes narrowed glittering emerald slits.

Kaien looked confused.

"Oi, Kaien," The rough looking man on the biggest boar grunted. "Are we going or what?"

"Just a second, Ganju." Kaien lifted a hand.

"That Ganju is horrible person. Him and his boar shouldn't be allowed here." The elder man roared, earning yells of agreement from the other nearby villagers.

"Please, everyone, calm down. Would someone explain what's going on?" Kaien gestured for quiet.

"That Ganju was riding through here a while back." One of the woman spoke up. "He nearly knocked over some of the orphans."

"That's right, he did." The first man grumbled. "He was riding fast, and suddenly there was a large crash and a cloud of dust on that street corner."

He pointed down the road to a blacksmiths and a pots and pans shop.

"Most of us rushed down to see what was wrong, and its a good thing we did!" He shook his fist at the man and boar pair. "That nasty Ganju was riding away on his boar. In a pile of sharp metals, Yagami-chan was laying, bleeding and with a nasty knock to the head."

"She dun remember wheres about she's come from. Dun know her name, dun know her life, an dun know wheres she are. We patched her up durn good, and she dunno nothin'." One old man shook his fist up at Kaien, as he was quite a bit shorter, stooped and grizzled.

"We named her too." The first man glared, protectively moving in front of Nikkou. "So, we don't want our village to have no boars in it!"

"Ganju," Kairn turned to his younger brother with a stern face, prompting the male to get off his boar. "Do you remember anything like this?"

"Not really." Ganju scratched his head. "Bonnie-chan veered away from those kids, and I wasn't looking straight when I went flying. I was moving before the dust cleared, cause I was late and you know how Kukkaku gets."

"It was all a big mistake then," Kaien smiled. "And Ganju will apologize."

"Uh, sorry for hitting you with Bonnie-chan." Ganju stuck out his hand.

Nikkou moved forward, tentatively shaking it.

"Can we go now?" The man on the other boar whined.

"Will you be alright on a boar?" Kaien asked, turning seriously to the younger girl.

Nikkou nodded, still nervous.

Ganju leapt onto his boar, and Kaien picked her up, placing her behind his brother easily.

"You're pretty light." The Shinigami hummed.

A rock sailed through the air, nailing him in the back of the head.

"Don't talk to a girl about her weight!" The culprit yelled, returning to her house.

"Yes, ma'am." Kaien sweatdropped, climbing behind the second gang member.

"Now we can go?" Ganju asked. Kaien nodded. "Onward, Bonnie-chan!"

Nikkou squeezed her eyes shut as they leapt forward, barrelling down the road.

**-:-**

"My legs huuurt." Nikkou complained, staggering down the paved road to regain feeling in them.

Kaien followed behind her as the two boar-riders disappeared in a trail of dust.

"Come on, let's go." He pushed her towards the giant waiting by the Gate.

"Jindanbo, let us in." Kaien poked the man's leg with his zanpakuto. Jindanbo awakened with a snort.

He glared a moment at the male, but lifted the heavy gate and allowed the two to pass.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh, wow." Nikkou gasped, standing close to Kaien so she wouldn't get lost.

Her green eyes drifted over the Academy.

It was several stories tall, with glittering golden roofs and pristine white marble walls.

Students in red and blue milled just inside the open gates and a mass of ever shifting people in every color thrummed through them.

Children ran around the outside of the crowd, ribbons flying from their fingers and kites filling the sky.

Several men in black kosode and hakama stood along the walls and just inside the gate, directing the new students to their destinations.

"Come on." Kaien pulled her forward. Nikkou rushed after him, black braid slapping against her back.

He led her through the crowd to the man sitting in the desk to the left.

"Kaien-fukutaicho!" He stood and bowed, before lowering to the seat again. "Is this one of the ones from the Hanging Dog?"

"Hai."

Nikkou's eyes latched onto one of them men standing farther into the compound, addressing several Shinigami obviously ranked lower.

"Who's he?" Nikkou smacked Kaien's arm, gaining his attention before pointing.

"That's Byakuya Kuchiki, Captain of the Sixth Division." Kaien replied.

"I feel like...I know him." Nikkou frowned. Her eyes suddenly blurred and she clutched her head, whimpering in pain.

"Yagami-san!" Kaien grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to stay upright as her eyes rolled back into her head. "Yagami-san!"

"Somebody get a Fourth Division!" The man at the desk yelled.

One of the Shinigami near the entrance bolted towards them.

"Move! I'm a Fourth Division!" The soft-faced male snapped to the crowd before taking Nikkou from Kaien.

He lay her on a nearby bench, and his hands ghosted over her body, glowing faintly green.

The moment he reached her head, the man gave a deep frown.

"There's definably something wrong." He muttered.

"She's lost all her memories. My brother hit her with a boar." Kaien muttered, blushing slightly.

"Well, there's certainly some injury there." The male bit his lip and his hands grew brighter.

Nikkou screeched, and her back arched before she opened her eyes.

"Are you alright, Yagami-san?" Kaien immediately asked.

"My head hurts." She groaned, sitting up and frowning. "I collapsed, didn't I?"

"Yeah..."

"It happens sometimes." Her eyes closed. "It's got something to do with my missing memory. Each time it happens I see flashes of color, or silk, or a pattern."

"And this time?" The Fourth Division Shinigami tilted his head.

"A tree, over a pond." Nikkou growled, shaking her head.

"Everything is fine now." The desk Shinigami waved away the attention from the students. "Back to what you were doing."

"You're alright now, Yagami-san?" Kaien bit his lip. Nikkou nodded.

"Shall we get you enrolled then?" The desk man asked, smiling slightly. Nikkou nodded.

"Here's a pen and the registration form. Shiba-fukutaicho told me how the other was eaten."

"Stupid boar." Nikkou grumbled, taking the two items to the bench she had been lying on seconds ago.

She filled out the application, and then handed it back.

"Here's the information you need to proceed." Desk Man handed her several other papers. "Head through that door. Shiba-fukutaicho will accompany you; we're missing a supervisor anyway."

Nikkou headed through a door marked with a purple square, and took a seat at the only available desk.

"Welcome to the entrance exam." The wiry man at the front smirked. "You have two hours to complete the written examination. To pass, you will need a total percentage of eighty. Those who do not pass will return to their homes."

He moved to a large hourglass and flipped it.

"You may begin."

**-:-**

"My hand huuurts." Nikkou complained, dragging her feet behind Kaien.

"Line up alphabetically by last name please." The students from the exam filed to their spots in front of a desk covered by a purple cloth.

Nikkou was last to get to the table.

"Name?" The woman frowned.

"Suzaku Yagami."

"I'm out of lodgings. You'll have to return to your home, but I can put you on a waiting list." The woman assured, packing up her things.

"You can stay with me for the next week, Yagami-san." Kaien led her away, shooting a glare at the woman. "Ukitake-taicho won't mind."

"Are you sure?" Nikkou frowned, following him through the Seireitei.

"Yes." Kaien nodded, pulling her after him. He flung her over his shoulder, and with a mischievous grin, moved into Shunpō.

They arrived outside the Thirteenth Division within five minutes, and he plopped her down on her feet.

"Don't ever do that again." She warned.

"Yes, ma'am." Kaien saluted and then opened the door for her.

"Kaien-kun!" The man at the desk smiled. "You're back!"

"Ukitake-taicho, I hope there wasn't took much paper work while I was gone?"

"Who's this?" Ukitake nodded to the female beside his lieutenant.

"I'm Suzaku Yagami, Taicho." Nikkou bowed.

"The Academy ran out of rooms." Kaien rubbed the back of his head. "I told her she could stay with me."

"Of corse!" Ukitake nodded. "She can stay as long as she likes."

"My thanks." Nikkou bowed again. "Without your assistance I would be on my way back to the Hanging Dog, with only hopes of returning the following year."

Ukitake blinked.

"Kaien, Yagami-chan looks tired." He flicked his eyes to the door and then at the chair before his desk.

"Right!"

**-:-**

"Ukitake-taicho?" Kaien stuck his head into his captain's office.

"Kaien," Ukitake looked perplexed. "Do you know why Yagami-chan's speech suddenly changed?"

"No idea." The tanned male shook his head. "It might have something to do with her missing memories."

"Missing memories?"

"Ganju hit her with his boar, and she lost all memories of her life before that day. Suzaku Yagami probably isn't even her true name."

"You know, Yagami-chan looks a lot like..." Ukitake rummaged through his desk and produced a photo album.

"What's that?" Kaien asked.

"It was a get well present from Shunsui," The man chuckled. "I never thought it would come in handy though."

"Why a photo album?"

"It's on all of the taicho and fukutaicho; their families and such." Ukitake rolled his brown eyes, flipping through the pages. "Ah! Come looks at this!"

Kaien rounded the desk and peered over the kind Taicho's shoulder.

"This is the Kuchiki family; Ginrei, Byakuya, and Ginrei's granddaughter."

"Ginrei had a granddaughter?" Kaien looked surprised.

"Yes. He was very protective of her though, as was Byakuya." Ukitake tapped the picture of the girl. "Look at her closely."

Kaien's eyes drifted over it, noting baby fat, wide eyes, and no figure.

Ukitake lifted the top of his desk, and a computer slid out.

"Now, see what happens when we add a few more years to her." The white haired man clicked a few buttons, aging a picture of the girl and Byakuya.

The moment Byakuya got to where he looked that day, Ukitake stopped.

Kaien stared.

"That looks exactly..."

"Like your Suzaku Yagami." He nodded. "I did some research on the Kuchiki's. Apparently, the granddaughter disappeared not long after Ginrei died, and her brother married. Nobody knows where she went."

"And by some stroke of luck, I've managed to find her." Kaien sighed.

"Possibly." Ukitake nodded. "You said earlier that she lost her memories."

"Yeah. And she remembers things every now and then, like colors or patterns or silks. Today she saw a tree over a pond."

"I'm not a doctor, but before I transferred here, I was in the Fourth Division. Have her draw down those flashbacks." Ukitake shut the book and hid it away again. "I'll see you tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4

Four days went by without hearing from the Academy, and Nikkou grew impatient.

"What if I didn't pass?" Kaien watched as she paced up and down in front of him.

"I'm sure you did."

"Then what's taking them so long?" She growled.

"There's a lot of people who's tests have to get marked."

"But-"

"Yagami-chan," Ukitake poked his head into Kaien's office. "This just got delivered."

The taicho held out a large letter, and Nikkou blurred in her attack on it.

"I did it!" She squealed, jumping up and down. "Ninety-four percent!"

"Ninety-four?" Ukitake's brown eyes widened. "Kaien isn't that score higher than yours?"

Kaien nodded, rising and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Nikkou cocked her head.

"The day you get your letter you're supposed to go in for a physical exam." Kaien lifted an eyebrow. "So hurry up."

"I'm coming. I'm coming." She pouted, sliding past Ukitake.

* * *

"Welcome to the Academy's second, and final, entrance exam." The teacher gazed at the gathered potential students. "You've been split into groups based on the chairs you're all sitting in."

There was a subtle shifting of the students before the teacher drew their attention back with a flick of his green hair.

"Joining me today are Soifon-taicho, and Aizen-taicho. Soifon-taicho heads the Second Division and the Covert Operation Force, while Aizen-taicho heads the Fifth Division. They will each take a group, test them and then take another group."

"Those who are seated on a blue chair, please follow Aizen-taicho. Those on purple, with Soifon-taicho. The rest are with me."

The crowd of students moved in a seething mass of people.

Nikkou glanced briefly at her seat before heading down to Soifon's group.

"You!" The petite Shinigami woman called. "Number seventeen! What's your name?"

Nikkou blinked, glancing at her arm before answering.

"Suzaku Yagami."

"You look... Nevermind." Soifon shook her head. "Everybody drop and give me eighty!"

The purple group fell into pushup positions, and Soifon began counting.

* * *

It was later in the day when Nikkou received a letter tied with a purple string.

_'Suzaku Yagami,_

_As you have passed the first part of the physical exam with flying colors, we believe that a second test be done. Please return to the Academy tomorrow, where you will have a testing time with Soifon-taicho.'_

Nikkou paused, rereading it and then passing it on to Kaien.

The raven returned to the parchment spread out in front of her.

There were several drawings on them; a snowflake pattern here, wood grain there, a lily on black wood, raindrops.

The one she was working on at the moment was her latest memory, the tree and the pond.

Nikkou was glad she could draw so well.

Kaien hummed, placing the paper down again.

"You'll just have to go."

**-:-**

Nikkou froze, Kaien walking last before returning to her side.

"What's wrong?" He asked, touching her shoulder.

"That color, right there." Nikkou pointed to one of the many walls within the Seireitei. "That red flower growing from the bottom...I know that red color."

Kaien scratched his head, at a loss for what to do.

Nikkou moved to it, crouching so she blocked Kaien's view. There was a flash of nearly white light, and she stood.

"Got it." Her green eyes shone.

"What did you do?" Kaien asked.

Nikkou lifted her hands and drew a rectangle in the air, then motioned him over.

When he rounded her side, a look of shock passed over his face.

A picture of the red flower hung in the air.

"I figured out this technique back in the Hanging Dog." She grinned, waving a hand over it to the left. The picture changed to a picture of a candle.

"How do you do it?" Kaien asked, moving his hand over it, though nothing happened.

"I'm not quite positive. I was actually in the middle of a conversation at the time." The raven rubbed the back of her head.

"You'll have to figure it out." Kaien motioned for her to continue down the street.

Nikkou raced after him.

* * *

Nikkou staggered out of the testing room and found the ground comfortable.

"Yagami-san?" Kaien lifted an eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"Why are you on the floor?"

"It's comfortable. And cold." She replied, not moving.

**-:-**

Soifon gnawed her lip, hands placed in her sleeves as she walked through the Seireitei.

"Lovely day isn't it, Soifon-san?" Ukitake called. Soifon hummed a reply.

The white-haired male placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Soifon-san, what's wrong?"

"That Yagami girl..." The younger taicho frowned. "She responds exactly the way Kuchiki did."

"You trained Byakuya?"

"No!" Soifon's voice dropped. "His sister."

"Ah, you know too."

"Know what?"

"Suzaku Yagami does not exist."

"What?"

"See, I was looking through one of the get well presents Shunsui sent me, and I found a picture of Byakuya's family. I aged the picture a bit, and the young girl in it...She looks exactly like Yagami-chan." Ukitake folded his hands into his haori. "But Yagami-chan has also lost all her memories."

"So there's a possibility that she may actually be Kuchiki Nikkou." Soifon realized, flicking one of her braids over her shoulder.

Ukitake nodded.

"However," The petite woman became stern-faced. "Until we have more proof, I suggest that we keep this too ourselves, and most specifically away from Kuchiki-san."

"I will agree with you on that part." The male smiled. "If Shunsui or another guesses the truth, I will not hesitate to fill them in on what we have. My lieutenant was the first I shared my theory with."

"I don't trust my own lieutenant with my... anything." She chuckled, tuning for her Division. "I shall see you on a later date, Ukitake-san."

"Goodbye, Soifon."

* * *

Nikkou was again pacing. Kaien watched her move back and forth across the garden.

"Ukitake-taicho," He turned to the man in the chair beside him. "Where do you think we need a trench?"

"Pardon?"

"Yagami-chan seems to want to dig us a trench with her feet; where would you like one?"

Nikkou placed her hands on her hips.

"Are you hinting at something there, Shiba-fukutaicho?"

He shook his head, innocence masking his face. His facade failed however, when he started laughing.

Nikkou rolled her eyes, striding forward to smack him over the head.

The Eighth Seat appeared in the garden, and he bowed to the captain and lieutenant.

"Please excuse this interruption," The male glanced up. "But I have a letter for one Suzaku Yagami."

Nikkou bolted forward in a blur of grey and brown, grabbing the letter and yanking it from the Shinigami's hand.

Her catlike eyes flew over the pages, and a bright smile stretched across her face.

"I got in." She breathed, running a finger down the list of needed, and unprovided, items.

"Congradulations, Yagami-chan." Ukitake smiled, a cough bubbling from between his lips.

"Are you alright, Taicho?" The Eighth Seat asked, looking as though he wanted to rush forward.

"Yes, I'm fine,Sentaro." The pale-haired captain nodded.

"Ukitake-taicho," Nikkou scuffed her foot against the ground. "Would it be possible for me to do odd jobs around the barracks to earn money for my books and things. I have enough for the uniform...but that's it."

Ukitake blinked, before a kind smile spread across his face.

"Yes, actually. I was going to deliver paperwork today, but if you want to earn money, then you can do it."

"Thank you!" Nikkou darted for the captain's office.

"Kaien, would you deliver the Fifth Division's?"

The Shiba nodded, darting for the office.

Nikkou was piling the files up, when he arrived.

"I'll see you later." The raven grinned, watching as the lieutenant picked up one of the files and took off again.

**-:-**

"Never again." Nikkou snarled as she dropped to her borrowed futon.

"Do your feet hurt?" Kaien snickered from his own bed.

"Yes."

"Just wait until you start learning Shunpō. I nearly sprained by ankle on the first try." He grinned.


	5. Chapter 5

Nikkou triple-checked her list, and then smoothed down her uniform.

Kaien stuck his head into his room.

"Can we go yet?" He asked, sighing.

"Don't you know how to _knock_?" Nikkou retorted, but grabbed the overly stuffed bag and followed him out.

Kaien swung her over his shoulder and took off, arriving at the Academy quickly.

"They grow up so quickly." Kaien fake-cried.

"Oh, shut up." Nikkou laughed, smoothing her uniform once before before turning to the slightly ajar, dragon engraved gates.

"I'll come visit if I have time." Kaien promised as she moved towards the building line.

She waved him away.

The line moved forward slowly, and Nikkou shifted.

The boy behind her tapped her shoulder.

"I'm Kozan Arai." He smiled.

"Suzaki Yagami." Nikkou greeted, adjusting her bag.

"You looked a little lost, so I thought I'd let you know whats going on." He continued.

"Oh, arigato."

"We're the early new students." Kozan explained, gesturing to the line. "The first trimester doesn't start until next week."

"Then why are we here?" Nikkou threw up her hands.

"Because those of us who arrive early get better dorms. I'd suggest getting one on the top floors with a window." He fell quiet as he moved to one of the Shinigami at the two desks.

Nikkou turned to the other.

"Name?"

"Yagami, Suzaku."

"Window?"

"Yes."

"Floor?"

"High as possible."

"The highest dorm available is floor three." The woman paused, glancing upwards.

"I can see on your list that room five-hundred-five is still open. It is unwise to lie any further to me. Do you understand?" Nikkou's aura rose in warning, although she didn't notice.

"Of course, Yagami-sama. Here's the key to your room." The woman fished it out and handed it over with a trembling hand.

"Thank you~!" Nikkou chirped.

She and Kozan met at the door to the Academy.

"What dorm?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Five-hundred-five." Nikkou replied with a smirk.

"How did you manage that!?" The male gasped, running a hand through his black hair.

"I have a knack for imitating the nobles." She shrugged, advancing into her new life.

Kozan followed.

"I've got three-hundred-twenty-nine." The other student pouted.

"Good luck." Nikkou caught sight of a set of stairs with a sign above it, pointing it's way to dorms.

"You too."

* * *

Nikkou gazed around her room, placing her bag onto the desk and propping her hands on her hips.

The window was decently sized, stretching to the floor and throwing rays of gold into the room.

There was a curtain rod above it, which was empty, and the walls were painted a dull khaki.

The room was also decently sized. The futon placed in the corner, beside the window. The desk was pushed against the west wall, and a waist height dresser was beside the door. A mirror was propped on the top.

Nikkou frowned, glancing around and making a mental list of the things she needed to get.

Paint, and curtains, a rug and thicker mattress, as well as a thick cushion for her desk.

The raven nodded, and then moved to unpack her books only to realize she had no bookshelves.

She stacked them on the desk and then moved to the door, closing it behind her once she had made sure she had the key.

The raven poked her head into the bathroom, advancing farther in and stuffing her hands into her pockets.

As her green eyes traveled over the shower stalls, she noticed the plaques on the doors.

She poked her head into one, and then nodded. Nikkou grabbed the chalk on the small ledge by the small chalk board, scribbling her name onto the shower stall.

Soaps and things would need to be bought too.

**-:-**

Nikkou propped her hands on her hips, observing her room with a critical eye.

In the week before classes started, she had painted the walls deep chocolate, and hung bright red curtains. Her mattress was thick, and the unbuilt window-seat area was piled with gold, red and brown pillows.

There was a set of black shelves above the low desk and a matching pillow placed in front of it. Brushes and pencils were placed in a jar near the back corner, and the ink was beside it with a sharpener.

All in all, Nikkou was pleased.

* * *

The raven was walking down the halls on the second day of class, when somebody barrelled into her.

Nikkou's armful of books scattered all over the ground, and she rubbed her behind from where she fell on it.

"Sorry!" The person yelled. Nikkou sighed, crawling around to gather the books.

"Excuse me," She glanced up. "I know you're busy, but could you help me?"

Nikkou sat back on her haunches.

"I doubt I'll be much help to you, but I'll see what I can do. What do you need?" She grabbed another book.

"My name is Kira Izuru," The blond rubbed the back of his head, flushing slightly. "I can't find my class. See, I'm supposed to have Kīdo first but-"

Nikkou held up the textbook.

"Oh." Kira's flush went darker. "I'll help you."

"I was sent to get the textbooks, but the class has a lot of people in it." Nikkou explained, splitting the pile. Kira picked half up and the raven took the other. "There's a little too many textbooks for one person to carry alone."

She set off down the hall, Kira close on her heels.

"I'm Suzaku, by the way. Suzaku Yagami."

"Nice to meet you." Kira smiled.

* * *

It turned out that she and Kira had all their classes together, and rooms on the same floor.

So it wasn't unexpected when they became good friends in the small time period of two weeks.

In their Kīdo class was a girl called Momo Hinamori, whom they had lunch with almost everyday.

She was a good natured person, but she was quite naive in the ways of the world.

Poor Izuru had to sit through a very awkward conversation while Nikkou explained to the innocent female about the 'Birds and the Bees'.

It was during their Zanjutsu class that a new student was introduced.

"Right, listen up!" Takashi Asaoka yelled, prompting the first years to halt in their basic sparring.

"Hai, Asaoka-sensei." They chorused.

"We've got a new student." He pulled the male forward. "This here is Shuuhei Hisagi. Introduce yourself, boy."

The tanned teen blinked, rubbing the back of his head.

"Um...I'm Shuuhei Hisagi." He flushed slightly from all the attention. "I'm from the forty-sixth Rukongai district."

"Hisagi," Asaoka's bright crimson eyes roamed around the dojo. "How good are you at swordplay?"

"I-" Shuuhei's eyes widened.

"Great. Yagami!"

Nikkou glanced up from the corner of the room where she was doing homework.

"Hai, sensei?" She stood, bowing.

"Looks like you've got yourself a partner." Asaoka shoved Hisagi towards the padding and bamboo training swords off to the side.

There was a collective sigh throughout the room.

Izuru stopped the raven as she walked past.

"Don't hurt him too much." The blond smirked. Hisagi gulped.

Nikkou grinned, lifting the bamboo sword that had been sitting beside her.

Hisagi stumbled over, clutching his own sword.

Nikkou sighed, prodding the new student into the proper position.

**-::-**

The _second_ the class was over, Hisagi understood why 'Yagami' didn't have a partner. The entire class was deathly afraid of the girl.

He would be bruised all over, and he couldn't walk without limping.

Now all he had to do was survive the rest of the day.

Unfortunately for Hisagi, he had no idea where the next class was and the only person he knew was Yagami.

"Yagami-san-?" The boy approached the female leaving the shower rooms. She paused in her movements of drying her hair.

"Call me Suzaku." She grinned, dropping her towel into the basket next to the door.

"Suzaku-san, would you help me?"

"Hm?"

The raven grinned, lifting her bag. Hisagi blinked, watching the first year's damp waves bounce around her face.

"I don't know where my next class is..."

The raven held out her hand.

Hisagi stared.

"Your schedule, dummy." She rolled her catlike eyes.

He passed it over, and rocked back and forth on his heels. Nikkou's bright eyes scanned his paper before handing it back.

"Stick with me and Izuru-kun." She patted his shoulder. Hisagi gulped.


End file.
